Hear Me Out
by en-lumine
Summary: Words that were left inside two separate souls, carrying on and dying inside themselves. Would they find refuge in each other? LCxKT. Please read and review!
1. Prologue

**Inspiration to write a short 5-chapter story came from a chapter from jaarli's "Engraved in Flesh, Written in Blood." I hope you will not mind me using the name for the story, the plot differs. I wish you luck with your next chapter. Reviews would be very much appreciated.**

Hear Me Out

Prologue

He had a million things to say to him, and ask for forgiveness. Nothing could be as cold as murder, only now Kurtis came to realize it. Tears welled up in clear blue eyes, but he forced to drink them back: Father told him not to cry over his body.

'But how can I ever survive without telling him it kills me inside?' the young Kurtis asked himself, staring down at his father's grave. The burial process had been carried on with him. 'He's gone now.'

The last living member of the Lux Veritatis bent down and sat beside the grave. His whole body shook as he fought to control his emotions. Rain fell noisily at him from the grey, angry skies, but he took no notice. Coming back to him were the first nineteen years

of his life that he spent with Konstantin. Years that would never return. And pain that would never cease.

A gasp left her mouth, as the throbbing pain in her head subsided. The horrible image sketched itself permanently into her mind. She tried to run but her numb feet forced her to fall right in front of him… She felt like screaming.

Werner's body was cold as ice when she touched it, and the cloud of death seemed to engulf her; suffocate her. She looked at the closed lids, and placed his head in her lap for a while. 'Did I do this?'

She tried to control her tears over their barriers and was successful. A battle rose inside: "No need wasting tears over him." But she had forgiven him. Hard as is had been to survive the pain and torture her mind had put through in depression, Lara had forgiven him but vowed herself not to see him again, lest he revives the torture inside. And now,

he did: The torture of guilt. Torture that could never cease.

Two separate lives in two separate times, facing the same guilt and depression, and happy times were mere memories. Their harshness melted away and they respected what the lost ones had wanted: neither Lara nor Kurtis shed a single tear, and unspoken words were left inside them, forever.


	2. Lost and Found

**Thank you so much for the lovely reviews, they encouraged me a lot! **

Hear Me Out

Chapter 2: Lost and Found

Lara stepped into the arena, fighting to keep her breath steady. The long run from Eckhardt's lab had drained every bit of energy from her, and the effect of the exhausting events of the last two days was an entirely different story. She panted and held her abdomen for a second, where a burning pain from all the running was whilst she sought support from a mechanism. The only thing that kept her going on physically and mentally was a single thing: she had to find Kurtis.

As her breaths returned to normal, her mind cleared and focused on her task ahead. In front of her was a small pool of blood. She walked towards it, and saw Kurtis' Lux Veritatis weapon lying innocently in the pool of fresh blood. She picked it up, hoping he'd be somewhere alive and well, and the weapon hummed to life. Lara smiled. The ancient weapon lead her toward the eerie chamber, where the monster had first come out. The weapon became silent in Lara's hand but an orange glow still shone dimly: It was sensing Kurtis.

Lara walked in the dark chamber for a little while. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the dark and she guessed she was walking on a metal floor. She heard a low groan from somewhere, and stopped dead in her tracks. Whatever groaned seemed in pain. And near. "Kurtis?" she called out. Her voice echoed and returned back to her. "Y-yes?" a croaky voice whispered; she felt a soft breath on her right shoulder. The chirugaii tore away from her hand and started circling around Lara and another figure, slightly hunched over. It shone brightly now. Lara was spellbound.

Kurtis fell to the floor with a thud and Lara snapped out of her dream like state. She bent down and held Kurtis in her arms. She felt some of his warm blood flow onto her clothes, and she placed her hand to his abdomen and felt a large hole, bleeding steadily. She gasped. Lara fished out a flashlight she had stolen from a Strahov guard and saw Kurtis' state. He was shivering in her lap, and his eyes showed how much he was trying to kill the pain. One of his hand softly touched her cheek, and the other tried to control the bleeding. "No," Lara said a bit shakily, "You're not leaving me, no," she whispered as tears welled up in her eyes. She hardly knew this stranger, but now he meant the whole world to her. A warm drop fell onto his tired face, and his hazy vision registered that Lara was crying for him.

"Shh…" he returned and wiped away her tears. "I'm not w-worth it."

"Yes you are!" she said desperately. Inside, she admitted she had fallen for this handsome stranger.

"No," he shook his head, "You d-don't under-stand."

"I don't care!" Lara said harshly and took out some bandages. Quietly, she began patching him up, determined to get him to the hospital alive, where he would be given professional treatment. He groaned lowly, tolerating the immense pain. "Almost there," she said soothingly as she finished tying the bandage.

After a while, she hauled him to his feet. "Lean on me, I'll get us out of here."


	3. It was love

**Thank you so much for the lovely reviews, they encouraged me a lot! **

Hear Me Out

Chapter 3: It was love

Lara waited in the dingy hospital waiting room for hours, her mind in a state of delirium. Her mind was tensed, and she could hardly breathe. Her heart was beating like strong drums and she felt the vein in her neck throbbing from its impact. The sound deafened her ears, and it yet took her everything she had to keep her eyes open.

'I feel like hell,' she thought to herself, swallowing down some cold coffee. Dawn was beginning to break through, and it's early rays lay still on her body, coming through a window. She recalled last night.

'_Stupid mortal, so be it!' Karel taunted._

'_The Sanglyph, better try it now!' Lara muttered to herself._

'_NOO!' Karel's screams echoed through the chamber._

'_Lara, hear me out…' Kurtis' pained voice faded inside her head, as she ran for the door._

"_Kurtis?"_

Lara pondered on if she was hallucinating before or not. Hearing Kurtis' voice asking her to hear him, did it make any sense? Was her mind playing tricks on her? Or was Kurtis really trying to reach her? The pain she had sensed in his voice seemed horribly real and totally identical to the one she actually saw him going through. She had never heard him in pain before, heck they only talked to each other only three times!

'Yet, you know you love him,' a kind voice inside her guided. Conscience. Lara wished she had strangled it before, but now she had come to give in to this idea, she had no other way to block out from this feeling… 'Strange,' she thought to herself, as she cautiously raided through a new sensation now flowing about her, radiating from her. It was too good to be true.

"Ms. Croft?" asked a nurse.

Lara snapped to reality, "Yes?"

"The patient, Kurtis Trent is in ICU, and he's coming about. You can see him now," the old nurse said kindly. She too, had felt the old wonderful feeling that this young lady was going through. It was love.

"When will he be okay?" Lara asked, suddenly numb.

"We can't say for another twelve hours," the nurse said sadly, "If he lives through them, then he's out of danger. If he doesn't," she paused, and it was not for the dramatical effect. Lara felt like crying again. 'Not him.'

"I'll show you to his room. Follow me."


	4. Hear Me Out

**Hello everyone, a nice long chapter after a long time is what you people deserved. Thank you so much for the lovely reviews! They are very encouraging. Also, this chapter is very… crazy, kind of. The thing is that it is almost a metaphor, that was the kind of idea that came to my head. What Kurtis wanted to explain is something indescribable, probably something to make them bon. Yes, even I am confused with what I am writing:D But please, read it and let me know how it was. Peace.**

**Lara Croft: Tomb Raider**

**Hear Me Out**

**Chapter 4: Hear Me Out**

"Oh, and Ms. Croft?" asked the nurse, whilst leading the way.

"Yes," Lara answered numbly.

"The authorities called. You are free of charge," said the nurse softly.

"Oh," Lara replied, her voice lacking any emotion.

When entering the ICU, Lara saw her colleague lying in the white bed, almost blending in with the surroundings. "I'll leave you alone now," the nurse whispered and left quietly.

Just looking at him, made Lara cry. _'It's because of me he's suffering'_, she thought. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she forced to drink them back, just as she had done so many times before. Kurtis was on an oxygen mask, his deep breathing audible. His complexion was extremely pale, and almost matched the white pillow on which he lay. His eyes were closed, and his body immobile. Lara took a seat beside the bed, and stared at her comrade a moment, he slowly opened his eyes. As his vision started focusing, Lara's eyes welled again, and before she could stop herself, two tears fell on Kurtis dripped hand.

Kurtis became more conscious of his surroundings now, and the events that took place previously came back to him: Boaz rolling away, stabbing him, falling down, dragging himself away, begging Lara to hear him. Lara…

He looked around and saw the adventurer right beside him. A soft smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. He lifted his hand to her, and saw the two cool drops rolling down to his arm, and this is when he realized that the tomb raider was weeping quietly.

At that moment, Lara flushed crimson, and helped him with taking off the oxygen mask. In his eyes, Lara saw a flame shine brightly. Lara shortly drowned herself in their depth. Kurtis lifted his arm and softly cupped her face. The tears in her eyes stopped.

"Lara?" he asked coarsely.

"I'm here," Lara said, unable to control a sniff.

"What happened to Eck-?" he coughed.

"I killed him and Karel too. Turned out Karel was the real Nephilim all along," Lara explained. "His work was basically done with the Shards and by placing the Sanglyph on the Sleeper. You tell me, what happened with you and Boaz?"

"Shot her down, and then she came up in a butterfly-pixie form, never like them any way," he said bitterly, "Has long spears for arms, just when I thought she was dead and turned my back on her… Stabbed me through the gut, that-"

"Now, now, be nicely," Lara said flatly. Kurtis managed an angry grunt.

"Sure, she never stabbed you through now, did she?" he challenged, even in a broken form. Lara felt guilty, yet butterflies fluttered in her stomach. A small silence took over. Lara softly touched and played with his dripped hand, unconsciously. Kurtis was out of delirium, and could think slightly rationally. The job had been done; Konstantine's soul had been avenged…

"Lara?" he said, breaking the silence.

"Yes?" '_Thank You._'

"I wanted to tell you something… I sent you, sort of a …" Words seemed to fail him, "a message?"

"Wha-" Lara asked and recalled. "That was you?" she asked, baffled.

"Yes."

'_Lara, hear me out…'_

"But, but how?" Lara stammered. "I thought that was in my mind!"

"I wanted to tell you something, really important. The Lux are able to communicate like this…"

"Telepathy?" she asked, wondrously.

"Yes…" he said slowly.

"Oh… what did you want me to hear then?" she asked solemnly.

Kurtis took in a deep breath. "I don't know if I'd stay long enough in this world, and I want you to come and face the fact," he began.

Lara was caught off-guard, "Don't say t-" _'Hell! He knows I care!'_

"No! You've got to hear it!" he said desperately, and held her hands. "For us."

Lara had never seen him this passionate before, but then again, this was only the fifth time she was actually talking to him. He sighed, and tried to sit up. Lara got up and arranged his pillows in such a manner that it would not hurt him while he's sitting. Kurtis then met Lara's eye level, and the tomb raider felt the time ticking away. She felt somehow, that his time here was very limited, and unlike herself, she wanted to hold him and say that he had won her; she cannot live without him…

"I've never known such a strong side of me ever existed, Lara. And I'm pretty sure this is not anything pleasant for the long-run, especially considering the fact that we come from entirely different places and are so similar when it comes to our behavior. I know what you want to say… I've kept words inside me for long too…" he was confused as in what to say next; how to convince her…

He sighed deeply. '_Time is running out'. _

"Lara, I know about Werner, and… I know how it feels. I have been through that feeling. You know, when you kinda loved someone, and didn't know it… Like, for some time you thought you hated them, but when they're gone, you're like 'I've never been so wrong before,' thing. Please, pour in all those words you wanted to say to him, into me. I know, I won't be here for long… But there's also a thing, I wanted you to desperately know."

Lara was shocked at his explanation, "You are kidding, right? I hardly know you, this is so-"

"Yet tell me, why it feels like I've known you for eternity!" Kurtis exploded. "Why is it that I find my salvation in you, what the hell, we haven't even known each other for long! See!" Kurtis said his sudden outburst evaporating.

"To some extent, you are a stranger," Lara said, making herself cold.

Kurtis sighed with tiredness, yet he still was not going to give up.

"Look at me," he urged. Lara complied, and he held her hands.

"Drop your guard, there's no harm," he said slowly, locking her in his deep gaze. Lara sighed and lowered her head, to make sure Kurtis could not see any of her tears.

"I hate it when you do this to me," she whispered, helpless. "You left me at a time I needed you most," said Lara, almost magically telling Kurtis her secret battles, as if speaking to von Croy's spirit, "Yet you helped me become what I wanted to be. For how long can I hate you, von Croy, you aren't even here to see me…" Lara broke down into sobs, controlling her tears… and failing.

Kurtis took her in his arms, holding her tight as she clutched onto his shirt, mumbling inaudible stuff into him. "I'm so sorry I hated you Dad, truly…," he whispered to himself and joined Lara in her opening-up episode, muttering and whispering words his father's spirits would want to hear.

It almost seemed as if hours and days had passes, but in reality, they were only a few moments. Lara broke away from the hug first, and looked at Kurtis with big eyes. "Kurtis, I love you," she whispered deathly. Kurtis nodded, too astounded for words, but was only able to manage a faint, "Love; really weak word." They lay huddled for sometime, crying and laughing, happy and sad for some time. It was the happiest moment of their lives, but like all happy moments, this was going to end too…

Kurtis broke away, as he coughed heavily. Blood spurted from his lips, staining a bit of the white sheets. Lara's face was drained of its color. Kurtis held his chest and abdomen, and started coughing hard. "Wait here, I'll call the doctor!" whispered Lara urgently, and left Kurtis gasping for air.

The doctor arrived quickly, and checked Kurtis' position. His nose had started bleeding, and he made gurgling noises. "Sudden intense internal bleeding," whispered the doctor, horrified. Kurtis' body slowed down, and his head lolled on his right shoulder. Tears fell from Lara's eyes.

'_He's gone…'_


	5. Epilogue

**Lara Croft: Tomb Raider**

**Hear Me Out**

**Chapter 5: **Epilogue

"_Kurtis, I'm here! Don't worry! You'll be-" Another bloody cough escaped him. He had lost consciousness before to this horrible bleeding, nothing could revive his insides… The doctors had given up on him._

"_Everything's gonna be OK, I promise, I-" Lara stopped, letting her tears flow, and her grief take control. Kurtis held her hand. He was around again, and while the doctors rushed him through the white corridors of the hospital toward an operation theatre, he stared into the sprinted Lara beside him, never letting go… She should let go… Let go…_

"_Let me go," he managed to whisper. The doors of the emergency ward flew open, and immediately paramedics held Lara back. She kicked and screamed, wanting to be with him, alone again…_

_With all the strength his broken body could muster, Kurtis screamed her name. All that he could manage, all that he had, he used it to shout her name for one last time… All he wanted to say was that his spirit would still be with her. _

"_LARA!" An extremely bloody cough left him, one last time… His time had run out, he still had words to pour into her… 'Lara'…_

_A few moments later, the doctors were applying electric currents, to his dead body…_

* * *

**2 months later**

"I had to let go… I had no choice," Lara whispered silently to Kurtis' grave. The Lux Veritatis was now dead, gone. That grievous night in the hospital, Lara stood beside Kurtis' bed, tears streaming down, knowing that in his last breath, he had uttered her name…

She wanted to hear his name again, she wanted to hold him tight once again, she wanted to never let go, but the raider had ventured too far within her own world of unknown feelings; she aroused a hushed part of her, which was sleeping in the pain of her previous meetings with love. The only time she found true love, fate separated her. She could never be the same again, not without him…

The rain battered noisily beside her, as a dark English night conquered the sky. She wasn't crying, it was the skies the wept for her now. Bending down and kissing the grave, Lara Croft drank back her tears, not wanting to hurt his spirit anymore, and walked back to her house.

She went to bed early that evening, grief taking away her sleep and rest. Lara kicked and screamed, frustrated with her life, her love, herself. She let out all of her bad energy, and some calm prevailed. An hour passed. Lara only ticked time away, too numb to sleep; too numb to feel.

A glass shattered.

Lara immediately sat up in her bed. She listened more closely: Muffled voices. She instantly took out her 9 mms from under the pillow, and headed downstairs in the living room, where the sound had come from. Nothing.

The raider slowly walked forward, seeing the shattered glass from an expensive window. Winston's room was on the other wing; he would not have heard the sound.

_"Lara,"_ breathed a voice. Lara spun around, seeing nothing, yet hearing deep breathing, a presence around her… The voice was too familiar. A solitary tear rolled down her thin cheek.

_"Lara, run away. They're here to kill you,"_ continued the voice, softly, but urgently.

"Kurtis?!" Lara said aloud, confused, and happy in the back of her mind. "Where are you?"

_"I've always been around, I've always been in your heart, but run! They're here to kill you, you must run. Save yourself!"_ it sounded more urgent now, but still soft as a feather.

"Kurtis?! Is it my mind, or-" She stopped short. She had felt it, felt his strong body hold her in a tight embrace: Invisible, and warm. Kurtis' spirit never left her alone, not for a second. Lara was overwhelmed, she wanted that moment to last forever… But her dreams never saw the light of reality.

"Lara Croft?" echoed a deep voice throughout. Lara recognized it immediately.

"Gunderson?!" she said bitterly.

"Yes…" around a dozen armed men appeared behind him, and surrounded Lara, their machine guns pointed at her.

"What do you want?!" she spat bitterly, as her eyes met his cold stare. After a long time, she wanted to fight.

"You have taken the lives of my masters, almost destroyed their work!" said Gunderson, appearing as a dark shadow in the pale moonlight, he wielded an AK-47. "But now I shall complete the unfinished work, with great honor!"

Before she could draw in a breath, he yelled his order: "Open Fire!"

Lara didn't scream, she just shut her eyes, and felt Kurtis' strong arms shelter her soul. As the bullets tore her flesh and skin, Lara didn't feel pain; only warmth. Warmth from her blood, warmth from Kurtis' spirit, as he carried her to oblivion. Lara Croft died within seconds, yet the person she loved more than anything in the world elevated her spirit to a position she always wanted to be.

'_A world of nothingness, blow me away…' whispered Kurtis soothingly._

In her last breath, Lara was only able to say his name, last time in her worldly life, "Kurtis…"

* * *

"I am standing here in front of Croft Manor, house of the great archaeologist adventurer Lady Lara Croft, renowned for her brave sacrifices for us. Today it is seen that the great adventurer passed away last night by shooting herself. The details are very scarce, viewers, but her butler Winston Jeeves has told us that she had been deeply depressed after the Monstrum scene in Paris, and this might have caused her death …. "

* * *

**Woah:D Me grande finale! XD ... And you really thought I'd kill Kurtis, eh:p Ahh.. I thought of killing him, but my muse started working and stirring up ideas again, so he's saved... :) Thanks for all the lovely reviews, guys! They pwned, and I hope to see you with Ending/Eye of Mummy soon. Take care! salutes**


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